In the modern world, not only humanity is progressing.Unfortunately, diseases that affect people are also constantly moving and developing.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, often in older people.Now the age categories of patients have been significantly expanded and include women, men and children of various ages.
The rarity of the manifestations of this disease is based on the fact that the thoracic part of the spinal region is inactive, which excludes various injuries and damage.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine undergoes serious changes that lead to a violation of its integrity.
If you do not contact a specialist in a timely manner, irreversible changes occur that can only be stopped by surgical intervention.
In the chain of development of the disease, the skeletal system of the spine takes the first place, followed by the cartilaginous formations, ligaments and muscles of the spine.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed at a young age, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
Depending on the symptoms and treatment, there are 4 degrees of development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, on which the patient's well-being depends:
- I graduate.Symptoms are mild or absent completely.Bumps occur.
- II degree.The intervertebral discs lose elasticity and height.There is a loss of stability in the spine.The first pains appear.
- III degree.At this stage, hernias are detected with severe pain.
- IV degree.The bone tissue of the spine is destroyed due to the complete deprivation of the intervertebral discs of their basic functions.
Symptoms and signs
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on the sex, degree of development of the disease and the patient's mobility.Most symptoms appear with certain degrees of stress and fatigue, as well as with prolonged stay in the same position.
How does thoracic osteochondrosis manifest?
- Chest pain, which is especially intense during prolonged periods of inactivity.
- There is a feeling of pressure in the middle of the back.Deep inhalations and exhalations are also difficult.
- Pain that is caused when any movement associated with the spine is included in physical activity.Hand movements, bending, turning.
- Prolonged back pain.
- Neurological disorders of certain parts of the body, manifested by numbness.
- Increased sensitivity of some areas of the skin (the so-called goosebumps).
- Unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities.
- Due to vascular damage in thoracic osteochondrosis, local symptoms appear on the skin in the form of peeling.The changes also affect the nails.
- Reproductive disorders and decreased libido may occur.
Symptoms may also differ depending on gender.Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are somewhat different from those in men.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- Local pain syndrome in the area of the affected disc.
- False symptoms of diseases of internal organs that arise along the innervation of the pinched nerve.
- Compression symptoms.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men appear much earlier than in women.The rest of the clinical picture is very similar.
Most differences appear only in the severity of symptoms, since men lead a much more active lifestyle.
In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis in women is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms and sensations may be similar to those of the development of heart diseases, therefore, when making a diagnosis, studies of the functioning of the heart are also carried out.
Treatment
The chronic course of the disease differs in that an exacerbation can develop at any time, the symptoms of which are very pronounced.The patient experiences severe back pain and difficulty breathing.
Before curing thoracic osteochondrosis, it is important to understand the nature of the exacerbation and the extent of the disease.Typically, the causes of such conditions are specific factors:
- Stressful situations.
- I work very hard.
- Prolonged exposure to low temperature environments.
- Weight lifting or active sports.
Treatment is mainly based on an etiological approach.That is, the factor that caused the acute stage is excluded.In severe cases of the disease, a limited daily regimen is recommended.Here are some principles of the approach:
- Low mobility mode.
- A diet containing large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber is prescribed.
- Pharmacological treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.
- Local therapy, including massage (according to indications), the use of external forms of drugs with anti-inflammatory effect.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows it.
- Physiotherapy.
Medications
Pharmacological treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on the classical principles of the treatment of pinched nerve fibers.The first step is to relieve the symptoms that cause significant suffering to the patient.
The drugs of choice are prescribed individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and primary.Its effects appear from the first day of therapy.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs.The medications are taken orally or administered parenterally.They have a number of positive properties.Firstly, they improve the patient's quality of life, restoring the ability to move normally.
Unfortunately, this group of drugs also has a number of negative indicators.Contraindications include gastrointestinal diseases.An absolute ban is imposed in the presence of ulcer or acute gastritis.If kidney and liver functions are impaired, the drugs require dosage adjustment.
NSAIDs are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that significantly alleviate the patient's condition.When an inflammatory process occurs at the vertebral level, a strong muscle spasm of the fibers around the inflamed area occurs.The prolonged spasm also causes severe pain in the area of the segment.Muscle relaxants eliminate this spasm, thus relieving pain.
It is not recommended to take these medications if the patient drives a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin complexes.It is used to relieve inflammation of nerve fibers and stabilize nerve membranes.More often than others, vitamin B and nicotinic acid are used.
- Chondroprotective drugs.Combinations of chondroitin with glucosamine in various doses.
This group of drugs normalizes metabolic processes in the joint tissue and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect on glucose.The course of treatment with chondroprotectors is long and is repeated at intervals.
Side effects are mainly seen in the gastrointestinal tract.This is bloating and belching.
To treat thoracic osteochondrosis, special medications are used in the form of injections.Management principles vary.The main method is the introduction of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in cream and ointment form.
For thoracic osteochondrosis, drug treatment is based on the principles of relieving the inflammatory process and freeing the pinched nerve.
It is important to note that even long courses of anti-inflammatory treatment in the absence of other corrective courses of treatment will not be able to relieve the patient of suffering for a long time.
If the attending physician recommends massage procedures, they must be performed.
Massage
Before treating osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine with massage, a functional diagnosis is made and the first stage of treatment is prescribed, which includes taking anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.
This set of measures aims to relieve spasms and inflammation in the area of the affected segment.Only after achieving certain results in the first stage can we talk about the benefits of massage.
How to cure osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with massage?
Massage procedures can also relieve muscle spasticity and improve blood supply to the damaged area.
- Acupressure.A procedure where the hands of a specialist act on specific points, improving their blood supply, thus relieving the inflammatory process.It is important to know that pain is not allowed during acupressure.Acute pain syndrome is an absolute contraindication for such massage.
- Massage the affected segment.It gives excellent effects by improving blood supply to the entire area.At the same time, soft tissues begin to actively renew themselves, which has a beneficial effect on therapy.
- Classic massage.Osteochondrosis in the thoracic region due to symptoms of the acute phase cannot be treated with classical massage.Any vibration or displacement can cause severe pain.Only after complete elimination of restrictions on motor activity and the inflammatory process can classic massage be performed.
- Plastic massage.Indicated for all stages of the disease, it gives excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to move on to the next type of massage.
Since getting rid of thoracic osteochondrosis is a complex task, the combination of massage with conservative treatment is considered one of the most effective non-surgical therapies.
physical training
Thoracic osteochondrosis with signs of stages I – II of the disease is treated with physiotherapy, which has a beneficial effect on the muscle layers in the area of the affected segment, strengthens the ligaments and eliminates the subsequent development of protrusions.
If the stage of the disease is characterized by severe pain, conservative treatment is first carried out, massages are performed, and only then exercise therapy.
What is exercise therapy?This is a complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures that improve blood supply and stability of the affected segment.
There are a series of exercises that have worked well:
- Raise your arms as you exhale, lean back breathing deeply.This is followed by a slow bow with the back arched upward.
- From a seated position, using the back of a chair for support, lean back with your hands behind your head.
- Standing on all 4 limbs, bend and arch your back, fixing the highest and lowest possible positions.
- Position: emphasis lying face down.A careful flexion of the upper part is performed with an attempt to lift the torso off the floor.
- Exercise boat.
Its effectiveness depends on the diligence with which the patient performs each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5 to 7 times.Before starting classes, warm up to avoid sprains and injuries.
Traction
What to do if pathology is detected at the initial stage?
In the early stages of the disease, traction is considered an excellent solution.Through this procedure, muscle spasms are eliminated and the displaced vertebrae are returned to their place.The deformation of the spine is overcome.
What types of traction exist:
- Dry traction.This procedure is easier to perform than others.If the disease is detected in the first stage, then a horizontal bar is perfect.If strong displacements and prolonged spasms are observed, special beds and exercise equipment are used.These tools correctly dose the load and its duration.
- Wet traction.It is done in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected segment and also, if done correctly, eliminates sudden movements.
In thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms during treatment with classical regimens may reappear several times a year.For prevention, traction therapy and exercise are used, which eliminate the risk of protrusions and strong displacements.
Reviews about physiotherapy procedures in the stages of remission and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.The recommendations and implementation of these procedures are completely justified!
Surgery
What to do if the chosen methods do not give results?
Due to incorrect therapeutic approach, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses according to symptoms after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.This also happens from visiting the doctor too late.
Unfortunately, if the integrity of the intervertebral disc is compromised and a herniation is diagnosed, surgical intervention is recommended to avoid life-threatening consequences.
After the operation, special elastic products are prescribed and the patient's mobility is limited until complete recovery.
Conclusion
Therapy for osteochondrosis at all its stages and with any approach depends on how osteochondrosis manifests itself, how much tissue is affected and, most importantly, what the prognosis is for certain procedures.Based on these diagnostic aspects, therapeutic measures are initiated.